The romantic East: Burma, Assam, & Kashmir - Khamkoo

76 THE ROMANTIC EAST
each other at their pwes, and in the bigger places,
like Mandalay, the various districts hold their
temple pwes in well-regulated succession. Another
form of pwe is the yoht-the or marionette
show.
The most venerated of the Mandalay pagodas is
the square Arakan pagoda or Pay a Gyi, the
" Great Temple," built in seven stories diminishing
in size and surmounted by a fine ti. Its base is
surrounded by corridors, and has a chamber in each
face.
The main chamber contains the famous brass
Gawdama, Mahamani, brought over the mountains
from Arakan through the Taungup Pass in 1787
by King Bo-daw-paya (Mentara-gyi), successful campaign by the Crown Prince against
after the
that country in 1784, and first housed in a pagoda
at Amarapura. It is a seated image 12 feet 7 inches
high to the top of the magaik, or tiara, and although
the Burmese are firmly convinced that the statue is
contemporary with the Buddha himself, or at
least
not later than the sixth century B.C., there is no
reason to doubt that it was cast in the second
century of our era. It is heavily coated with goldleaf,
and you can buy one for a rupee, follow the